The Down Side Of Kibble
Unfortunately, dry food, in general, doesnt always provide the same nutritional value to our dogs as other types of food.
Because dry food requires starch for processing, you can bet that there will be at least some low-nutrient carbs included in the recipe. More often than not, there are a LOT of carbs included.
Thats just one of the ways some companies keep the cost of dry kibble so low.
Speaking of processing, the heat and pressure used to turn a concoction of meat, fat, and starch into a small uniform piece of brown kibble have a significant effect on the nutrient profile of the food. And unfortunately for your pooch, that effect is a negative one, leading to lower nutrient levels and damaged amino acids.
But that doesnt mean that you should overlook dry food altogether. After all, most owners have to find a compromise between feeding their dog the best possible diet for their health and happiness and finding a food that wont bankrupt them or cost them all their free-time and storage space.
Choosing a high-quality dry diet made with the right ingredients is one way many owners achieve that compromise.
But, if you do want to explore some different types and forms of dog food, I would suggest you read our article on the best dog food to see what other options are available.
Purina Beyond Organic Dog Food
Image courtesy Purina
This high-protein dog food’s nutritious balance is provided by organic free-range chicken, carefully chosen ingredients like egg and sweet potato, and exceptional nutrition.
All of their foods are USDA Certified Organic, which means they do not contain any synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or antibiotics and no artificial colors, tastes, or preservatives.
What Is The Best Pet Food Delivery Service
If youre looking to switch your dog over to a dog food delivery service, this is likely the question on your mind. In general, the best service is one that provides recipes customized to your dogs health, medical and dietary needs. You want to be sure that your dog is getting whats right for them. Additionally, the service should use whole, fresh ingredients that are minimally processed and packed with dog-friendly nutrients. Finally, check whether the service has veterinarians and nutritionists on staff. If a service can check off all the things above, its safe to say theyre a solid option.
If youre looking for a solid recommendation, though, ask Dr. Countner: She says shed go with Just Food For Dogs. They have a variety of recipe options as well as veterinary prescription diets that you can order easily off of their website, she explains. They also have brick and mortar store locations around the US and conveniently in Petcos.
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Diamond Naturals Dry Dog Food
Rating:
Diamond Naturals Adult Lamb Meal and Rice is one of 13 recipes included in our review of the Diamond Naturals dry product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Lamb meal, ground white rice, cracked pearled barley, sorghum, egg product
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Price:About 0.97 per pound
- Best for: Adults dogs
- See all 13 available recipes
Diamond Naturals Adult derives the bulk of its meat protein from lamb meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 26% protein, 16% fat and 51% estimated carbs which yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 61%.
Typical buyer reviewIve never seen my dogs so excited to eat. They fight over who gets the first bowl. Its also cheaper than what we were buying before for the same size bag! And with 3 big dogs we were struggling between price and quality. This is the best of both worlds.
Best Dog Food Brands For Puppies
What you feed your fur baby now will shape how healthy and happy they are in the future. Puppies have very sensitive stomachs, and purchasing food that is not appropriate for their age or breed can cause them serious issues diarrhea and constipation is not a pleasant thing to deal with, both for you and your puppy!
You should consider treating your puppy to Victor Purpose Nutra Pro Dog and Puppy, Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy, or Hills Science Diet Puppy Food to give them the best start in life. Most brands have dry, wet, and grain-free options, so check them out.
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Discussion Of The Primary Ingredients
To keep prices low, Beneful utilizes some lower-quality ingredients. While these may not upset all dogs, they absolutely can upset some canines.
With that said, the ingredients are not as bad as youd imagine. For instance, the first ingredient is typically whole meat of some sort. Beef is utilized for beef-centered recipes, for instance. Sometimes, other meat sources are also utilized. Some sort of animal fat is also used, which increases the flavor of this food. However, youll also notice flavorings on many ingredient lists, which can be troublesome for some dogs.
Most Beneful formulas are grain-inclusive. Despite many misconceptions, grains are not bad for dogs in the least. In fact, grain-free formulas have been linked to certain health issues. Therefore, we typically recommend feeding your dog grains unless they have an allergy, which is quite rare.
In fact, these formulas often include whole grain corn of some sort. Corn is surprisingly very good for dogs, as it is extremely digestible. In other words, dogs are able to easily digest and use the vitamins and amino acids in the corn. Therefore, dogs typically get more out of corn than other grain ingredients.
How To Choose Thebest Blender With Food Processor Attachment On Customer Reviews In 2022
With the development of the internet, online platforms offer a variety of products to their audience. Among so many products, it is important to know how to sort, recognize and choose the best best blender with food processor attachment for you. What are the criteria for choosing the best blender with food processor attachment?
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Before You Switch To A Grain
If you decide to go grain-free, transition gradually between the old food and the new food. Start with a mix of 90 percent old food to 10 percent new food. Once your dog is enjoying that, slowly change the proportions until youre serving only new food. This will help your dogs digestive system adjust properly. During the transition, keep an eye on your dog to make sure they dont develop diarrhea or constipation.
As always, its a good idea to consult your vet before making changes to your dogs diet and be sure to check for the AAFCO-verified nutritional value on the label. AAFCO regulates pet foods in the United States and provides minimum health guidelines for manufacturers and pet owners.
Chicken Soup For The Soul Adult Dry Dog Food
If you are looking for the best dry dog food for the price check out Chicken Soup for the Soul. The popular book series turned dog food supplier, Chicken Soup for the Soul provides a high quality dry dog food brand at an affordable price. This holistic, nutritious kibble is made with protein-dense chicken, turkey, chicken meal and turkey meal which gives the formula a 26.0% min protein level.
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Best Cheap Dog Food Buying Guide & Faq
Finding reliable cheap dog food is no easy task. Often, pet parents feel like they have to choose between quality and affordability, which is understandable, as many dog food brands do tend to sacrifice quality in order to produce cheap foods. However, this is not to say that only the expensive recipes use good, healthy ingredients many affordable dog foods contain everything canines need to be healthy, you just have to dig a little to find them .
Still, cheap dog foods can have many downsides and you have to be careful when picking formulas as dogs need specific macro and micronutrients to thrive. To help you find the best affordable dog food, weve prepared this buying guide and answered some of the frequently asked questions.
Nutro Ultra Dry Dog Food
Rating:
Nutro Ultra Adult is one of 9 recipes included in our review of the Nutro Ultra dry product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain sorghum, whole grain barley, whole grain oats
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Price:About 1.98 per pound
- Best For: Adult dogs
- See all 9 available recipes
This specific Nutro Ultra Adult formula gains most of its meat protein content from chicken and chicken meal. Our dry matter label study reveals the recipe contains 27% protein, 17% fat and 49% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 63%.
Typical buyer reviewI tried another brand before this and it made my dog sick. He refused to eat it. My vet recommended Nutro and in my research I came across Nutro Ultra. The ingredients are what sold me. Weve been using this brand for over a year. Both dogs have the shiniest coats , are in great shape, and are happy campers.
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Picking The Best Dog Food For The Price
When it comes to choosing the best dog food for the money, there will be several factors to consider, but the most important three things you should look at are:
- Your dog’s specific dietary needs
- Dog food brands quality, sourcing, price
- Your personal budget
Among dog owners on a budget, cheap dog food brands are very popular, and we all want to select a good quality dog food the money can buy while also staying within a budget. When comparing dog food prices, quantity isn’t the only factor . It’s more about the quality of nutrients and calories the dog will get from a specific brand.
This is where Dog Food Ratings come in and can be very useful to refer to.
When dogs are healthy, vetting dog food prices and picking the optimal price-for-value choice is easy. If, however, your dog has special dietary needs, you will need to do a little more digging to see which pet food brand will fit best. Of those foods that do meet your dogs needs, you will have to choose the highest-rated food within your budget.
Note that among the popular dog food brands in the below comparison, each kibble bag size is as close to 30 lbs as possible. This allows for a better comparison of pet food pricing to the value ratio of each brand in comparison to other foods in the same category.
What To Avoid When Choosing A Dry Food
No matter what the marketing claims of a food are, they are only a small piece of the information you should consider when determining the quality of a dry diet.
Reading through the ingredients label, checking the guaranteed analysis, and looking for other clues listed on the packaging will help you get a better picture of if a food is right for your dog. Of course, with so many options out there, it is almost easier to spot a terrible food, than it is a quality one.
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Best Affordable Dog Food For Seniors: Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Senior Chicken Dinner
If you have an older dog, what they eat is even more important. Many vets and pet owners will suggest transitioning into canned food for your senior dog. Its a lot easier for them to eat, especially if your pooch has dental issues.
Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Senior Chicken Dinner with Garden Vegetables Canned Dog Food is a great option, but its important to mention it only comes in this one flavor. Youll find healthy ingredients like fish oil, carrots, flaxseed, potatoes, chicken liver, and more!
These ingredients can help promote healthy skin, coat, and the entire immune system. Blue Buffalo wet food doesnt contain wheat, corn, soy, artificial flavors, by-products, or preservatives.
Whole Earth Farms Wet Dog Food
Image courtesy Whole Earth Farms
The Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Wet Dog Food variety pack gives your four-legged companion a nutritious and satisfying meal. Each dish is prepared using genuine meat as the first ingredient, with no artificial additives or colors.
The Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Wet Dog Food variety pack comes with four varieties: Turkey & Chicken, Beef & Lamb, Duck & Turkey, and Pork & Beef. Each recipe is prepared with real meat as the first ingredient and contains no artificial tastes or colors.
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What To Avoid In Dog Food
Dogs are usually not picky eaters, but that does not mean they can safely eat anything and everything. Certain ingredients should be avoided in dog food to keep dogs safe. Dr. Shepherd provided insight on which toxic ingredients dog owners should look out for, and avoid, when selecting a dog food:
- Garlic powder: Garlic enhances the flavor of food but can damage red blood cells, leading to anemia. Signs of anemia in dogs include lethargy, pale gums, and weakness. Dr. Shepherd recommends avoiding any dog food that contains garlic powder.
- Raw meat: Although raw food diets have become increasingly popular for dogs, raw meat may contain disease-causing bacteria, such as E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes, and genes that promote antibiotic resistance. Both the CDC and FDA advise against feeding raw meat. Dr. Shepherd points out that freeze-dried meat products should still be considered as raw food, and thus avoided, because their manufacturing process does not get rid of disease-causing pathogens. Read more about the harmful effects of feeding your dog a raw diet.
- Specific allergens: For dogs with food allergies, certain ingredients should be avoided to prevent triggering an allergic reaction. For example, if a dog is allergic to chicken, their diet should not contain any form of chicken a diet containing a novel animal protein source, such as duck or kangaroo, would be a good choice. A food elimination trial is typically used to determine which particular ingredient to avoid.
Pure Balance Pro+ Large Breed 30lb Dry Dog Food
Image courtesy Walmart
The first element in this Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe is real chicken, which is blended with brown rice and peas to provide lean muscle and healthy joints, digestion, bones, immune system, skin, coat, heart, and vision in an easily digested format.
The Pure Balance Pro+ Large Breed Dog Food is a premium wet dog food made with the greatest ingredients, all natural substances, and additional vitamins, minerals, and other trace components.
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Best Dog Foods For Urinary Health
Anyone who has ever had urinary tract infections would not wish to ever see their furry friend going through the suffering associated with the condition. According to the American Kennel Club, certain nutrients in a dogs diet can increase the risk of UTIs. Similarly, including specific nutrients can reduce the riska sort of prevention is a cure. This article will look at the best dog foods for Urinary Health.
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Life Stage Of Your Medium
From the puppy years up through the golden years of senior dogs, nutrition is an important aspect of your pets life. It is important to choose a food that meets the nutritional needs of your pet throughout its lifetime so it can be your loving companion for many years. Puppies usually need higher protein diets to help them grow and develop properly. After the puppy years, many dogs do well on adult diets that contain all the protein, vitamins, and minerals that they need to maintain their general overall good health. Dogs that lead an especially active life may be a higher protein food option to help sustain their bones and muscles through heavy activity. Senior dog formulas will help your aging pet meet its basic nutritional needs and prescription diets may be needed to help provide extra support as needed during their golden years.
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What To Look For In Cheap Quality Dog Food
To be honest, look for exactly what you would look for in any dog food. The lower price should not be a reason to compromise on the quality. So, no matter how cheap the product, you should always look for the following.
Animal-based Proteins The primary source of protein should always be real animal meat. Id recommend avoiding any product that has a meal or by-product as the primary source of protein.
Fatty Acids Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are essential for a lot of things, including coat, skin, and joints. While they are abundant in fish-based recipes, look for other sources such as flaxseed and canola oil.
Mineral and Vitamins These micronutrients do a lot for your dog. From keeping their vision sharp to helping their cognition, micronutrients are what your baby needs.
Antioxidants I recommend food with antioxidants because it is part of the preventative care for your pet. Antioxidants play a vital role in strengthening your pals immune system.
How Much Food Should I Feed My Puppy
Deciding how much to feed your puppy is a processnot a one-time choice.
Since a larger breed puppy requires more food each day than a smaller breed
And because every brand of dog food contains a different number of calories per cup
Start with the recommended feeding amount printed on the foods package. Then, adjust that amount up or down to keep your dog at her ideal weight.
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